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Michael Vinales hints at possible next move after leaving Olympic Holidays

Former Olympic Holidays managing director Vinales tells TTG he will take a break with his family over the Christmas and New Year period before pursuing a new role – potentially a consultancy post – in the travel industry

Olympic Holidays MD Michael Vinales leaves business after seven years

Vinales joined Olympic Holidays in November 2017 and was promoted to managing director in January 2020

'I went on safari in Brazil and it was just as good as any in Africa'

In the Pantanal – the world’s largest tropical wetland – eco-tourism pioneer Casa Caiman is surrounded by an immense area of nature, with dazzling flora and fauna

Inspire targeting 'significant' growth with launch of 'one-stop-shop' cruise website

Inspire Europe customers can search different live cruise options according to their preferences on the new website – www.cruisecollection.uk – but must call one of the agency’s 90 homeworkers or ring its call centre to book. The site features 44 lines from across the cruise sector

Jet2holidays to launch new weddings brand to agents next year

Jet2.com and Jet2holidays has teamed up with Perfect Weddings Abroad to launch a weddings brand, with departures starting during the summer 2026 season

Seven of the ‘most beautiful’ Christmas markets in Switzerland

Do note for those travelling over the festive period – some of the markets close on 23 December, so it’s worth checking their individual opening times and dates.

Visit our Switzerland Selling Guide

Tui sees switch from Spain to North Africa as cost and capacity deter consumers

Tui has said some consumers are switching away from Spain to North Africa because of cost issues

The Pig says it will embrace agents more, as founder Robin Hutson steps down

The UK boutique hotel collection says it is ready to work more closely with the trade as it continues to grow its portfolio

Shortlist revealed for Top 50 Travel Agencies by TTG 2025

Read more about the travel agencies who are going forward for judging next year

Tui targeting 50% app sales as it puts Ryanair packages on sale

Tui has set itself a target to achieve 50% of its sales via its app, and has pledged to develop technology that already accounts for double-digit figures in the UK

Travel Counsellors, Riviera Travel, Exsus Travel: this week's travel trade people moves

Moves this week include former Seabourn president Natalya Leahy becoming chief executive at Lindblad Expeditions while Travel Counsellors has upped its support team

Package sales through agents still core to our business, insists Tui chief

’2024 has been a very good year for us,’ said Tui chief executive Sebastian Ebel after the group’s earnings soared by a third to €1.3 billion off the back of record cruise performance

'I've toured the world on cruise ships and this German port is very underrated'

Senior loyalty and cruise sales manager James Brown has clocked up many a port in his time working for P&O Cruises

Travel's plea to make youth mobility 'a priority' lands with nearly 30 MPs

Some 28 MPs attended a drop-in event at parliament hosted by Abta and UKinbound, part of their ongoing advocacy campaign to highlight the importance of improving youth mobility between the UK and Europe in the absence of posted working post-Brexit

Greenland among eye-catching additions to Intrepid's 2025 programme

The Maldives and the West African nations of Benin, Togo, Senegal, The Gambia and Ghana also feature in the adventure specialist’s new programme, which spans more than 120 countries and 200-plus new experiences

First look inside Anantara’s newly renovated landmark in Vienna

Halfway through a grand renovation, Anantara Palais Hansen Vienna Hotel is proving it’s the perfect choice for visitors to the city

Top 50 Travel Agencies 2025 by TTG Shortlist

See the full list of agencies who made the regional and nationwide shortlist for 2025

Dame Irene Hays: 'We have to keep finding new ways to make more money'

Ed Robertson caught up with Hays Travel owner Dame Irene Hays and operations chief Jonathon Woodall-Johnston to find out more about the agency’s Budget challenges

Holidays Extras boss says AI can and will make agents' lives easier

Holiday Extras boss Matthew Pack tells TTG the company remains committed to the trade and will test the AI-driven technology on consumers before showing it to agents. The soon-to-be former owner has managed to secure an extra £10 million investment for expansion

Gran Canaria region introduces tourist tax after overtourism protests

Gran Canaria’s Mogan region has become the latest to levy a tourist accommodation tax, ring-fencing proceeds for improvements and sustainability

Panache Cruises invests £500k to support UK and US expansion plans

Money will be spent on additional office space for Panache Cruises at Strawberry Fields Digital Hub in Lancashire, and a larger premises in the US as well as more staff on both sides of the Atlantic

Edinburgh to gain second daily JetBlue service next summer with Boston launch

Edinburgh airport has gained another US route with the launch next summer of a JetBlue service to Boston

'Sometimes, it makes sense not to fly – but not when our rail system is so mind-bendingly useless'

The UK can’t yet afford to cut domestic air routes when rail isn’t always an adequate alternative, writes co-chair of Aito’s Sustainable Travel Committee Amy Skelding after an eye-opening European rail journey

'We've got guts – we're not afraid to do adventure travel differently'

No longer a ’tiny operator travelling to weird countries’, YellowWood Adventures is courting the trade with a bigger range of more diversified product.